


Necessary Evil, A

by westwingfanfictioncentral_archivist



Category: The West Wing
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2004-01-15
Updated: 2004-01-15
Packaged: 2019-05-30 20:06:42
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,574
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15103985
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/westwingfanfictioncentral_archivist/pseuds/westwingfanfictioncentral_archivist
Summary: A copy of this work was once archived at National Library, a part of theWest Wing Fanfiction Central, a West Wing fanfiction archive. More information about the Open Doors approved archive move can be found in theannouncement post.





	Necessary Evil, A

**Author's Note:**

> A copy of this work was once archived at National Library, a part of the [ West Wing Fanfiction Central](https://fanlore.org/wiki/West_Wing_Fanfiction_Central), a West Wing fanfiction archive. More information about the Open Doors approved archive move can be found in the [announcement post](http://archiveofourown.org/admin_posts/8325).

  


**A Necessary Evil**

**by:** pung

**Character(s):** Leo, Margaret  
**Pairing(s):** Leo/Jordan  
**Category(s):** Romance  
**Rating:** PG  
**Disclaimer(s):** All characters but Hannah are the creation of Aaron Sorkin. Yadda-yadda-yadda.  
**Summary:** Follows "Reciprocity and comfortable shoes"  
**Author's Note:** Here's what Leo was doing when Jordan and Andi were meeting with the Protocal Police. I'm taking a whole lotta license regarding governmental investigations of individuals, but so what-this is just for giggles. All characters except Ken Stager are the property of Aaron Sorkin. 

A Saturday, 11:45am

"Margaret!"

She peeked her head in his office, a large manila envelope in her hand. "Yes?"

"Aren't I supposed ot be meeting with Josh now?"

"I pushed it back to noon." Margaret said as she dropped the envelope in front of him. He regarded it with a pained  expression. "Margaret..."

"You have to do this now." she said.

"Can't it wait?" he said

"It's *been* waiting, Leo- The embassy is breathing down Helen's neck, and she's breathing down my neck, so I'm breathing down yours." She closed his outer office door and locked it.

"What are you doing?" he asked.

"I'm making sure that anyone who needs to see you has to go thru my office to do it. It will take you ten minutes." She went back into her office, and closed him in.

"Oh, Hell.." he said, and dug out his reading glasses. When he became Chief of Staff, he was surprised to learn that one of his many jobs was to approve the lists of guests that were invited to Embassy functions as representives of the government. He was equally surprised to learn that the guests were subject to a backround check conducted by the Secret Service. He understood the reasons behind it, but he hated when the investigation file landed on his desk for approval. The investigations rarely picked up anything more than a nephew who'd burned a flag at a rally, and he had never had to act on the reports, but just the same, he felt like a peeping tom. He leaned back in his chair and opened the file, marked YOUR EYES ONLY. There were 8 separate reports on the list and he began to read. He initailed one name after another on the top sheet that was sent to the social office. Then his pen stopped in mid-air as he flipped to the next page, and found himself looking at Jordan's name.

 

KENDALL, JORDAN LOUISE: 03/04/97, Admitted to Brookhaven Psyciatric Hospital following suicide attempt. Discharged 04/24/97.

He sat looking at the words, stunned by their impact. Then, he buzzed the intercom for Margaret.

"Yes?"

"Margaret, Get me Kenny Stager on the phone."

"Are you finished with ..."

"Margaret, Dammit, just do it!" There was a growing knot in his gut. He tried to think. When had this report been delivered? Two days ago. Who had seen it? No one-Margaret kept such documents under lock and key until he dealt with them. The intercom buzzed.

"Ken Stager on one."

"Ken, hey-how's it going? Listen, could you drop by for a minute? Right away if possible... I need to confer with you on something. Thanks." He hung up the phone. and sat a minute, thinking. Finally, he checked off the last names on the top sheet and put the rest of the file under his desk blotter. He went to the door to Margaret's office. Josh was standing right in front of it, his hand raised.

"I was just about to knock." he said.

"Right-go on in." He handed the paper to Margaret. "You can fax this to the social office."

"Thank you." she said, taking the paper and turning toward the fax machine.

"Margaret..."

"Yes?"

He stood there in front of her, and then shook his head. "Never mind. Oh-Kenny's coming by in a few minutes. Buzz me when he gets here?

"Alright..." she said, looking up at him, "Are you o.k.?"

"I'm fine." he said, and walked back into his office. He conferred with Josh about a few matters, until Margaret buzzed the intercom. "That's Kenny Stager-I have to talk with him. Let's meet later in the day." he said, letting Josh out the outer office door. Margaret opened the door, and Secret Service Agent Kenneth Stager wheeled into the room.

He had been assigned to guard Bartlet during the election campaign, and Leo had requested him for the President's Detail, but a few weeks before the election, he had been paralized in a car accident while on assignment. Although he could have taken full disability, he preferred instead to join the White House Staff as investigator.

"Kenny!" Leo said, holding out his hand. Kenny shook it, and Leo closed the door and went around to sit at his desk. "How's the world treating you, Kenny?"

"No complaints, Leo-yourself?"

"Good, good..." He struggled for the right words.

"Leo, is this about the report I sent you? About Ms. Kendall?"

Leo was surprised by Kenny's frankness, but grateful he had taken the lead.  "Yeah, Kenny-it is...I need to know who generated that report."

"That would be me."

"And who else saw it..."

"That would be you."

"Really?"

"Really. Leo, those reports...they're a necessary evil-we have criteria for in-house functions, and criteria for events like the Embassy Ball. We have to assure foriegn dignitaries that we are aware of the heightened security issues, and we take care to allay their fears with this kind of screening. The Secret Service takes no offical stance on the issue-it's your call if further investigation is warrented."

"It isn't."

"I didn't think so."

"Paper trail?"

"You have the only copy. Nothing on disk or hard drive either."

"Thank you, Kenny." Leo got up and took his hand again. "We don't see enough of you."

Kenny shook his hand. "I'll let you get back to running the store, Leo-I did want to ask one thing."

"Sure, what's that?"

"How's C.J.?"

Leo shook his head. "She's a tough broad...but it's been rough."

"I imagine-he was a great guy."

"Yes, he was."

"Tell her I said Hello, will you?"

"Why don't you stop in on her? I'm sure she's like to see you."

"I will." Leo let Kenny out thruogh the outer-office door, and sat down again. He picked up the file, and looked at the words again. 1997...he knew that her husband Walter had died of cancer over a year before. What had happened? He knew that as strong-willed and confident as she was, the was a fragile side to her. There were hints of a deep sadness that he only glimpsed-but had never questioned the source of.

"Of course, you didn't question it." He told himself, "You like things nice and tidy. You like that she doesn't question your past either. The two of you live in the NOW. No baggage, and no real intimacy, either."

Was that true? He thought about the six months past. Her house had become a haven to him, her companionship a restful harbor. Their lovemaking was matched in passion, and their affection for each other was strong. But intimacy? Or love, for that matter? He had loved Jenny, he had thought he knew her every secret thought-and had not. Her most secret thought was her need for him to confide in her-and he had not-could not.

Now he was stuck with this terrible knowledge that he could do nothing about. He found himself wanting to wrap his arms around her and console her for her past, but he could not admit he knew it.

There was a knock at the outer door. "Come in!" he called, stuffing the file in his breifcase. The door opened, and Toby stood there, and leaned on the doorframe.

"I've finished polishing the thing for Tuesday-you want to see it?"

"Leave it with Margaret. Did you get ahold of Bruno in New York?"

"He'll be back Monday, check in hand."

"Good." Toby stood there, a funny look on his face."Anything else?"

"Uh...Yeah. Andi called. The girls want dinner at Russo's"

"Oh?"

"Something about showing off their table manners."

"When?" "Seven."

"O.K....I'll have Margaret call in a reservation."

"Good."

"Okay, then."

"Okay." Toby stood there, his hands in his pockets.

"What else?" said Leo.

"I just...it's a bit of a co-incidence that you're seeing a woman that...went to law school with Andi, and so we tend to get thrown together socially more than -you know-we would if they weren't."

"I don't mind double-dating, Toby, if that's what you're getting at."

"Double-dating? Is that what we're doing?"

"If memory serves..."

"It sounds so...high school."

"Will you go write something please?" Leo said, picking up his glasses.

Toby walked away without a word, leaving the door open. Margaret came in with some papers for him to sign. His day went on. That night, while the four of them had dinner, he watched Jordan carefully as she and Andi told their tales of "Protocol School". She laughed and talked and seemed for all the world as if she hadn't a care in the world, and Leo stood outside her past, and wished to be let in.

Later that night, as they made love, his tenderness to her was a mixture of compassion for her unknown pain, and a solace for his own.

**The Next Story in the Series:** "Cooking Where There's Good Love" 


End file.
